The modern Ninja Gaiden was released a decade ago, and in that span, the series that helped define the action genre as we know it has changed little. There have been small refinements and major upheavals for franchise, namely the… Continue Reading →

The modern Ninja Gaiden was released a decade ago, and in that span, the series that helped define the action genre as we know it has changed little. There have been small refinements and major upheavals for franchise, namely the departure of games’ creative force Tomonobu Itagaki. But for the most part, it has stayed true to its devotion to quick-twitch gameplay and the crafting of exquisite controls that fuse input and response.

That has its benefits and drawbacks. That commitment means there’s a consistency and polish to Team Ninja’s work. Fans expect a certain type of game, and they get it. But eventually, there comes a time when the same old formula won’t cut it. A franchise needs change. It needs new blood and the developer’s latest project in conjunction with Comcept and Spark Unlimited strives for that.

Yaiba will be fighting zombies of all shapes and sizes. He can even turn some of them into weapons

A DEPARTURE FROM PREVIOUS TITLES: With Yaiba, Inafune said that he “wanted to make a Ninja Gaiden game within the universe.” “We couldn’t do it with the main game,” he said. “So we needed to come up with a rival. Yaiba is funny. That’s his contribution to set it apart. It’s expanding the Ninja Gaiden universe. Lets this be a complement.”

And that’s where the different art style comes in. Inafune said Yaiba features so many disparate elements that he needed a look to unify them all. He was dealing with the title character who was defeated and chopped up by Ryu in duel and left to die. A company called Forge Industries resurrects the badly wounded ninja replacing his lost limbs with cyborg parts and he’s sent to investigate a virus that has turned the area population into zombies. Inafune credited The Walking Dead with inspiring the appearance, saying the series manages to blend several genres as well. It looks like a good move with visuals that distinguishes the spin-off from its predecessors.

Another separating factor is Yaiba’s humor. Ryu’s Ninja Gaiden was deadly serious. He fought insurmountable odds and investigated strange mysteries. On the other hand, Yaiba seems to revel in comedy. The protagonist banters with Miss Monday, a member of his support staff. He’s not afraid to complain about the horde of foes he’s battling. Adding to the goofy nature are costume unlocks such as a cheerleader outfit or Beck from the upcoming Comcept title Mighty No. 9. It’s a silly touch that seems to fit the personality of the project.

Yaiba will battle all sorts of zombies, and he’s not afraid to complain about them.

ZOMBIES GALORE: That offbeat humor also shows up in zombies, which have their own personalities and traits as well. Players will run across all sorts of undead from civilians to military to minibosses. Yaiba can even uses some of the foes’ body parts as weapons. He can rip off arms and turn them into nunchuks. (Again, this is supposed to be absurd.) When it comes to other forms of humor, players can see it in how zombies act out their former roles like a train conductor or commuter. It’s cartoonish but effective.

Further in the seven chapter campaign, players will encounter zombies that have elemental traits. Some will explode with fire. Others will spew out bile while a third type shoots out electricity. What’s creative is how these elements mix with one another and the environment. For example, when bile undead hits electricity it crystalizes. In another scenario, players can grab fire zombies during a fight and toss them at obstacles to blow it up. Team Ninja layers these elements in puzzles that break up the constant fighting.

I suppose this replaces some of the more annoying traversal mechanics from previous Ninja Gaiden titles. In Yaiba, the protagonist still has to negotiates obstacles, but it’s not as difficult as in the past. Wall running is easier and the ninja has a few God of War-esque moves to climb around the sides of building and ruins. Most of them use Yaiba’s flail.

Yaiba’s flail will be key to getting around each chapter.

YAIBA IN ACTION: When it comes to combat, players can still expect that pinpoint action that rewards precision button presses over mashing. Players have three weapons at their disposal — a sword, a robo punch and a flail. Each have their advantages and disadvantages. For instance, the flail is needed for crowd control but it runs the risk of creating more hard-to-fight undead. Pound on the foes enough and players can perform an execution move that offers Yaiba power-ups like healing crystals. On the defensive side, the cyberninja has a dodge and a parry that requires the exact timing. Lastly, there’s a Bloodlust move (with accompanying meter) that allows Yaiba to move faster and deal even more damage.

Fans will need all those skills to finish the campaign because let’s face it, Ninja Gaiden games are hard. Difficulty is one of Team Ninja’s touchstones. But challenge doesn’t stop with the end of the single-player adventure. Hard-core fans can tackle the Ninja Gaiden Z mode, which is almost a throwback to the old NES game sof the past. It’s set up to look like a classic 8-bit game with a lot of side-scrolling. The big difference is that Yaiba can move up and down the world a laFinal Fight.

And players will have to get through armies of foes as they traverse each stage. If they die, they’ll start at a checkpoint. It’s a mode that wasn’t in the original design according to Team Ninja’s Yosuke Hayashi. It was included later, and from what I’ve seen, it’s a great addition offering more value. What’s great is that Ninja Gaiden Z Mode is scored, and players can compare how they did on leaderboards.

Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z is scheduled for release March 18 in North America on PlayStation 3, PC and Xbox 360.

Ever since Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune left Capcom, everyone has been wondering what his next project will be. Hints came earlier this year, saying the project would be codenamed Yaiba. A trailer was even released Sept. 13. But today,… Continue Reading →

Ever since Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune left Capcom, everyone has been wondering what his next project will be. Hints came earlier this year, saying the project would be codenamed Yaiba. A trailer was even released Sept. 13. But today, he cleared the air and announced that he is teaming up with Team Ninja and Spark Unlimited, developer of Lost Planet 3, to create Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z.

It probably also makes longtime fans giddy with excitement. After the disappointing Ninja Gaiden 3, this could be the shot in the arm for the venerable franchise. My gut reaction at the news is that it seems to be a right fit. Inafune’s style meshes well with Team Ninja’s series. Both do action games. Both are known for making difficult but rewarding titles. From the initial screenshots, the game has a striking cel-shaded style. I wish there was more detail though. The blood splatters are especially interesting because sometimes they look like kanji from a certain angle.

As for the gameplay and character design, the game seems to have gone through an overhaul. It looks like whomever the ninja is, he’s part robot. It’s hard to tell anything else from the images other than 1) Yes, it’s going to be bloody 2) There are robots and ninjas 3) It looks unique. No console or release date for the game have been announced yet. Side note: What if Tomonobu Itagaki’s game the Devil’s Third and Keiji Inafune’s game come out at the same time? Who would make a better game in that head-to-head matchup?